HBO denies fest location
Comedy Arts was rumored to be in Santa Barbara
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In an email sent earlier in the month to Santa Barbara city officials, Bob Crestani, who heads the industry-targeted fest, cited the May departure of former HBO chairman and CEO Chris Albrecht -- a big supporter of both USCAF and the proposed move to Santa Barbara -- as the key reason the event was not moving forward in the beach town.
Crestani added that HBO would re-evaluate its USCAF plans after conducting its more consumer-targeted Las Vegas Comedy Festival in November.
"We looked at Santa Barbara very seriously; we looked at a number of cities very seriously, but we never made a commitment," said an HBO spokesperson, who added that the fest remains "on the back burner" for now.
The pay-cabler announced in May that it wouldn't keep the industry-targeted fest in Aspen, Co., where it had been held for the last 13 years -- this followed a 2007 incarnation in early March that was marred by bad weather and flight cancellations, as well as the decision by fest headquarters, the St. Regis Hotel, to go condo.
